Alabama's top defensive back recruiting targets for 2014

Over the course of this spring, we've been taking a look at some of the top recruiting targets at each position group for the Tide for the Class of 2014. Today, we take a look at five of Alabama's top prospects in the secondary, all of whom happen to be ranked among the top overall prospects in the nation by the major recruiting services. Alabama has already landed three defensive back commitments for 2014, so we'll exclude Kalvaraz Bessent, Chris Williams and Stephen Roberts from this list.

The consensus choice of recruiting services as both the top overall prospect in the state of Alabama and the top cornerback prospect in the nation for the class of 2014. Humphrey, the son of former Alabama All-American running back Bobby Humphrey, has stayed relatively quiet about his recruitment but the Crimson Tide are the presumed favorites over contenders South Carolina and Florida.

The top prospect in the state of Texas for 2014, Beaumont cornerback Tony Brown has been high on the Crimson Tide from very early on in his recruitment. LSU remains the presumed favorite to land the 6-foot, 188-pound star after signing his sister to a track and field scholarship but Brown remains open to the idea of taking his five-star talent to Tuscaloosa.

One of the most highly coveted cornerbacks in the nation, this 6-foot-1, 180-pound star visited Alabama this spring and has had good things to say about the Crimson Tide in numerous interviews. The Washington D.C. area five-star prospect also says his parents may be favoring the Crimson Tide, giving Nick Saban and his staff an obvious edge at the moment.

Hoover's Marlon Humphrey returns a kickoff for a touchdown last fall against Minor. (Butch Dill/al.com)

This 6-foot-2, 200-pound safety is rated a five-star prospect by the 247Composite rankings and has narrowed his options down to the Crimson Tide and the homes state LSU Tigers. Jones hauled in 5 interceptions and broke up 11 passes as a junior for Neville High in Monroe, Louisiana and is rated among the top three overall safety prospects in the nation by the major recruiting services.

Back in March, the Atlanta defensive back named Alabama one of his three leaders along with Georgia and South Carolina but after visiting Auburn for their A-Day game, the Tigers are creeping up on the group of leaders. Ruffin, a 6-foot, 180-pound four-star prospect, is former teammates with current Tide cornerback Geno Smith.